DACA clients unsure of the program

Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune

Gabriela Barajas plays soccer with two of her children, Melvin, left, 10, and Antonio, 6, outside their home in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood on April 8, 2017. An undocumented immigrant from Mexico, Barajas qualifies for DACA status, but is reluctant to apply with the future of the program uncertain under the Trump administration.

Gabriela Barajas plays soccer with two of her children, Melvin, left, 10, and Antonio, 6, outside their home in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood on April 8, 2017. An undocumented immigrant from Mexico, Barajas qualifies for DACA status, but is reluctant to apply with the future of the program uncertain under the Trump administration.

Gabriela Barajas ties the shoelace of her son Melvin, 10, while at a playground near their home in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood on April 8, 2017. An undocumented immigrant from Mexico, Barajas qualifies for DACA status, but is reluctant to apply with the future of the program uncertain under the Trump administration.

Gabriela Barajas ties the shoelace of her son Melvin, 10, while at a playground near their home in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood on April 8, 2017. An undocumented immigrant from Mexico, Barajas qualifies for DACA status, but is reluctant to apply with the future of the program uncertain under the Trump administration.

Illinois has the nation’s fourth-largest population of DACA recipients — the highest share in the Midwest. About 41,800 people in the state have been approved for the program since 2012, according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.Under the Obama administration, the benefits outweighed the risks for many who were eligible.Those enrolled are considered a low priority for immigration enforcement, though they are not protected from deportation. They can legally drive and work, which makes them eligible to apply for a Social Security number. While they are still not eligible for federal financial aid, they can qualify for in-state college tuition in some states, including Illinois.